New Life
by PokePotterfan93
Summary: Harry ponders on how much his life had changed since moving to Australia with Hermione at the end of the war. Originally a one-shot, now being turned into a small fic.
1. Reflections

The game never changed, not one bit. He had stupidly believed that putting an end to the so called Dark Lord would have been enough, but the same bullshit happened from the last war. Death Eaters cried Imperius and found themselves quickly released without charge. All they had to do was 'donate' some galleons toward the new Ministry of Magic. The same people who tortured and killed innocents were welcomed back into society without so much as a question asked. The Battle of Hogwarts was considered a tragic loss of life by many, mostly because of the amount of pureblood lives that were lost. The idea of posthumous Order of Merlin First Classes awards for all who died fighting Voldemort was quickly quashed, as it would 'tarnish' the noble award.

It was at that point Harry knew that England was truly lost to him. He didn't bother sticking around past the funerals. He had spoken to Ginny about heading off to see the world with him, but Molly had put her foot down and quickly denied her daughter permission to go with him. Hermione had spoken about Australia, and again, Molly had banned her son from going. It spoke to the character of Ron and Ginny. Both were good children, but to the point that they had forgotten that they were both of age.

He had agreed to join Hermione in Australia, but on one condition. The two would of them were going to fly to Australia on Sirius's old motorcycle. She had been reluctant at first, even threatened him that if he tried any stupid manoeuvres that she would feed him his bits, but in the end, she truly enjoyed the two and a half weeks of driving and flying around most of Europe with him. It had been easy to plan their route to Australia. Their main trip had been from England to France, then to Germany, through Eastern Europe until they made their way towards Asia. After they reached the Asia it had been another week to make it to Australia.

Hermione's parents hadn't been that difficult to find, nor had it been difficult to undo the memory charms on them. They felt betrayed at first, until Harry managed to track down a pensieve for them to use. After seeing the death and destruction caused by the Death Eaters towards the Muggle world, the pair had quickly forgiven their daughter, even more so after Harry had privately shown them what had happened to her arm.

It took a few weeks for the four of them to get comfortable with each other, and after a few months they had quickly moved into a nice routine. For safety reasons, her parents continued with their aliases as Wendell and Monica Wilkins, with Harry and Hermione taking the roles of the Wilkins's long-lost daughter and son in-law. Harry and Hermione Potter weren't even known by the Australian Ministry of Magic, so it was an easy in for them. Andromeda had moved with them soon after, taking the role of Harry's mother, who had been taking care of their infant son while they found Hermione's parents.

They had kept up to date with the news from England, mostly out of some morbid curiosity. The news was never good. Several Death Eaters had gained positions in the Ministry of Magic and within Hogwarts. The laws surrounding magical creatures were tightening to extremes, with all House-Elves now literally bound to their homes and never allowed to leave unless given precise instructions from their masters. Centaurs had been forced to leave the country by the Ministry's new head of Magical Creatures Division, Dolores Umbridge.

The first few months for Harry and Hermione were awkward. The two had built the story of a loving marriage, fitted with a baby boy. They tried to show that to the neighbours, mostly by spending their time hugging and walking to the shops with Teddy, who was young enough to keep his first name. Slowly the two of them realised that there was some form of attraction between. For Harry, it had been Ron's feelings for her that stopped him from pursuing a relationship with her. For Hermione, it had been her own insecurities. He was the hero, and she never really fit the bill of princess. Andromeda had taken the last name of Potter, though her maiden name was listed as Tonks. It gave Harry something he craved for years; family.

The couple in question were now enjoying a relaxing day on the beach with Teddy. The nine-month-old was sat in his 'mother's' lap, creating a nice sandcastle with her help. Hermione didn't like referring to herself as Teddy's mum at first, it was like that until the day that Andromeda had ensured her that he needed parents, not the memories of parents that she had finally realised how much she had grown to love the boy as a mother would. After that she became a mum in every sense of the word.

"That's Mummy's boy." She praised him, kissing his little hands. She turned her head, noticing Harry with his camera. "Honestly, you're only short of taking pictures of him when he wakes up every morning."

Harry smirked to himself, taking another picture. "Sorry, but you know how much I like documenting our little days out." He placed a soft kiss on her lips, sitting beside the two of them.

Unlike Hermione, Harry had quickly fell into the role of father for Teddy, mostly because of a conversation he had with Sirius when he was fifteen. Sirius had all but explained that he had planned to adopt Harry as a baby, per James's request. He had asked Andromeda's permission first of course, and she quickly agreed to it. She had grown to care for the young man after spending a few months with him and the Grangers. He cared so much for Teddy, even to the point that he spent several days watching him night and day near the full moon in case he had any residual Lycanthropic DNA in his bloodstream.

Hermione's head soon rested on his shoulder, while she continued to help Teddy make his sand castle. "This is just what I needed after that week in college. Remind me again why I decided to do that?"

"I think you said something about making it seem credible." Harry chuckled, wrapping his arm around her. It was easy enough to get a cover story for them. Hermione was attending college to gain her bachelor's degree in childcare. Harry however, was the son of James Potter and his second wife Lily. Andromeda had taken in him by James's request after their untimely deaths. His family were from money, which allowed him to be a stay at home dad while his wife attended college. Andromeda had maintained a healthy relationship with her ex-husband and had been more than happy to take her stepson in.

"Yuck it up, Potter." She flicked his nose affectionately. "He's getting bigger every day." She smiled, hugging Teddy close to her.

"Yeah." Harry took the baby from her, holding him out in his arms. "Aren't you just growing quickly?" He cooed to the baby, gently tossing him in the air.

Most of the Wilkins's neighbourhood had found it funny that two eighteen-year olds could be so quickly married and have a little one, but their explanation was a nice one. Harry had proposed out of both love and a sense of duty towards the mother of his child and his son. The neighbours had found a new respect for the young man after that. Bitterness wasn't something that most of them had been expecting from him.

"He'll need a check-up soon." Hermione watched the two of them, taking a couple of pictures of them. "We also need to start getting the new 'medicine' for him."

Harry nodded, smiling down at the little boy. Since they were constantly living in the Muggle world Teddy had to blend in with the rest of them, so he had gotten some potions for Metamorphmagi babies, that would bind his hair and eye colour for a week at a time. It wasn't painful for the baby, and it lent credence to the idea that he was the son of Harry and Hermione. "It'll be delivered to the house in an hour or two." He whispered, kissing her once again.

Hermione smiled into the kiss, breaking away to glance out at the beach. "Do you ever want to go back?" She asked softly, thinking of all of their friends back in England. She knew that it wasn't exactly Harry's style to just sit back and allow injustices to happen, but war changes the best of people, and Harry was no exception.

"A part of me does." He replied softly, placing the camera on the blanket they had been sitting on. A soft sigh escaped his lips as he thought about the situation back home. England wasn't going to change. He wasn't naive enough to expect it to either. "But as long as I have you and our family, I don't care about it anymore. I lost everyone in those wars, Mione...I don't want to lose you or Teddy. If that means abandoning a bigoted country, so be it."

Hermione smiled sadly. Her heart broke whenever he spoke like that. A small part of Harry truly died in the war. "What about our friends?"

"It's up to them." Harry whispered softly. "They're all adults. All they have to do is leave. Let the bigots have their country. We can live here, in peace." He adjusted Teddy in his arms, holding him in the air. "Besides, our little buddy can be safe here. No discrimination for his heritage. No bigots who want him dead…" He lay back on the blanket, resting Teddy on his chest. He loved the Australian climate. It was so much warmer than England. "I've become such a nihilist."

Hermione snorted. "That's an understatement if there ever was one." She took another couple of pictures before changing the roll of film. The way Harry blew through them was astounding. He spent more on pictures than he did on anything else. "But it's not unfounded nihilism. You went through hell. We all did."

Harry nodded, kissing Teddy's forehead. "And that's another reason I don't want to go back there. No matter how much we push forward, England just wants to stay in the 19th century…" A weak chuckle left his lips. His eyes focused on the ocean. "Besides, I've done my duty. I was a good puppet and did what was asked of me."

Hermione's eyes softened. Harry thought of himself as nothing more than a Manchurian candidate of sorts. It amazed her that a grown man could have had such a terrible life. Her own heart broke whenever she thought about the naggings he had endured over the years. "And now you're free." She hugged him close to her. "I think you're right. We're happy. Forget the rest of them. We fought our war."

Harry kissed her forehead. "Now. I think someone deserves some ice cream." He stood up with her, heading towards their car.

 **0o0o0**

Sleep still eluded him most nights, so Harry's nightly ritual of sitting in the back garden gave him time to reflect. Hermione was sound asleep. He couldn't help but envy her for the ability sleep peacefully. She was stronger than him in that regard. He opened his beer, resting his head against the door. It was something that just happened one night. It wasn't even about the buzz of alcohol. It was just, familiar.

Hermione's words rang in his head. Did he want to return to England? No. England had failed in their THIRD chance to fix their fucking society. He ran a hand through his hair, letting the sounds of nature fill his ears. It was peaceful. He was happy. Why did that make him so uncomfortable?

Dumbledore. It all came back to Dumbledore and his fucking manipulations towards his life. Keeping him beaten down and afraid of living his own life. Dumbledore, the very paragon of England had tried to ensure his legacy lived on within Harry. He wanted to hate the man, but raising Teddy had taught Harry the idea of legacy. He wasn't going to force it, but he wanted Teddy to live up to their Marauder roots.

He sipped his beer, glancing at the large garden. He really needed to get a dog or something. Crookshanks was starting to calm down to his new surroundings, and Dan…WENDELL. He always had to mentally correct himself on that. Wendell wanted a dog too. It would be a nice little pet for them.

The idea of solidifying their little family always put a smile on his face. He stood up, walking into the kitchen. It was nearly time for breakfast, so he grabbed a frying pan. He cracked a couple of eggs, sausage and bacon, starting the family's breakfast. Maybe something small, like a terrier or a similar sized dog.

He chopped some tomatoes and onions, mixing them into the eggs with some bacon and cheese. He liked cooking for his new family. Especially now that Teddy was starting to venture into the world of proper meals. They tried to give him a new food every day, mostly fruits and vegetables, but Harry was known for sneaking him a piece of chocolate or a biscuit. Hermione didn't like the idea of the baby getting used to sweets, but he wanted Teddy to experience all things in life.

He placed the quiche in the oven, sipping some coffee. The weather was proving to be a heatwave of a week, so he'd have to make sure Teddy was cool at all times. All the newspapers had warned of a child in Perth who had died of heat exhaustion after a day out. That had him in tears. He walked up to the bedroom, checking on the baby. He smiled as he saw the green eyes stare up at him.

"Take his top off. It's like a sauna in here." Hermione sat up, fanning herself with her hand. "Why didn't I send them somewhere with less heat…?"

Harry chuckled, putting a pair of shorts on Teddy. He kissed the boy's forehead, smiling over at her. "Like the South Pole?"

"Laugh it up, Potter." Hermione pouted. "I smell one of your quiches, don't I?" Her expression quickly changed into one of pure joy. Harry's cooking had been one of the best things she had ever tried, and that was saying something.

Harry gave her one of his 'Potter' grins, before passing Teddy to her so he could continue cooking breakfast. The smell had all inhabitants of the house waking up. Harry only really made a quiche about once a week, so it was the family favourite when it was made. He plated up portions, grinning as he finally sat down for his own.

"How are you not in a five-star kitchen?" Monica asked him, polishing the last of her quiche from her plate.

"Someone has to be a stay at home parent, and I really enjoy spending my days with Teddy." Harry finished his breakfast, feeding Teddy small pieces of quiche. "Besides, it tastes better when it's made for those you love."

Wendell chuckled. "Sounds like a good reason to me." He checked his watch. "Mon and I will be home late. Dental conference today."

Harry smiled. "That's fine. Mione and I have to bring him for his check-up, so we're going to make a day out of it." He kissed Teddy's forehead, standing up to do the dishes. "I'll make something light for dinner tonight." He fanned himself.

"Take the Jeep. You'll need it more than us." Monica insisted. "Our grandson isn't going out in that heat without a proper air-conditioned car and loads of cold juice." She warned them, picking her grandson up. "And as for you handsome," She cooed at the baby. "You make sure to be good for Mummy and Daddy." She kissed his cheeks, eliciting small giggles from the boy.

 **0o0o0**

"I never Mum would've taken to being a grandmother as well as she did." Hermione commented, turning the corner towards the magical area. It was a two-hour drive, so they had a nice amount of time to just relax and talk. "I hope this heatwave lets up soon though, I don't know how much longer I can take sleeping in just a t-shirt."

"You won't hear any complaints from me on that, Mione." Harry chuckled, resting his head against the headrest. It was days like this that he enjoyed the fact he couldn't drive. Hermione was a master of it, and he knew that it was easier to put his trust in her driving than Wendell. The man was a speed demon when it came to driving.

"Pervert." Hermione snorted, stopping at a red light. She glanced at Teddy in the back of the car, ensuring he wasn't too overheated. "His bottle's empty, Harry. Get him a fresh one from the cooler." She was truly thankful her mother had taught her the trick of the ice cooler for long Australian trips. She had probably packed way more than she needed, but she wasn't going to risk their son's life on a whim.

Harry passed the baby a new bottle, watching as he instantly went to town on it. "Wow, he's really thirsty." He checked his watch, clicking his tongue. "His appointment's not 'til three, so we could stop at the beach for a half hour. Just to let the sea air cool him."

Hermione nodded, turning to the nearest beach. She placed a blanket on the bonnet of the car, placing the baby on it carefully. "Mummy's little boy really was warm." She rubbed sun cream onto his arms, face and body, kissing his nose once he was covered. "We'll make sure you stay nice and cool."

Harry smiled, kissing her softly once they had Teddy secured. "I'll grab us an ice-cream. He needs to stay refreshed."

Hermione nodded, watching the love of her life walk towards the ice-cream cart. She truly loved the way Harry acted at times. Considering that he once thought so little of himself as to actually walk to his own death. It really showed how much he had matured since leaving England. "You know, your Daddy's a special man." She held Teddy in her arms when he started whimpering. She shaded him with her body, kissing his forehead. "I know, baby. It's really warm."

Harry walked over, frowning when he noticed Teddy's red eyes. He was really starting to overheat. He glanced in the car. "Is that waterproof?" He asked, nodding towards the cream.

Hermione nodded. "Yeah."

Harry passed her the ice-cream, kissing her cheek. He removed his jeans, leaving himself in just a pair of underwear. He picked Teddy from her arms, walking down towards the water. He stepped far enough in where he was chest deep and Teddy was submerged to just before his chin. "It'll be ok, son." He whispered, kissing the boy's forehead.

Teddy fussed in his arms, holding onto his father as the water began to soak into him. A small giggle of happiness erupted from his lips when he started to cool down, which had the added effect of letting the boy relax.

Harry kissed his forehead again, smiling at him. "Are you feeling better now?" He cooed to the baby, glancing over at other parents doing the same. Hermione had their camera pointed at them from the shoreline, which caused him to chuckle. "And she thinks I take too many pictures." After a few minutes to cool him down and a quick trip back to the car, he had the air conditioner on the coldest setting and sat in the back, feeding him small bits of ice-cream.

Hermione shook her head affectionately as she glanced at the side mirror, watching his boxers dry on the roof rack. It was quite a 'Harry' thing to do. "He's cooling down a lot now. That was quick thinking, love."

Harry smiled. "I saw the ocean and it just came to me." He shrugged. He kissed the boy's forehead, soothing him as they drove. He hated seeing the boy in such discomfort. "We should take a trip next month. Head somewhere colder." He suggested.

"I was thinking the same. I've heard Japan's nice this time of year. And I know that you're dying to head over to the Anti-Dark Lord taskforce over there."

"I just think the more people we warn about Horcruxes the better." Harry fed the last of the ice-cream to Teddy, placing the empty container in their rubbish bag for the day. "Considering how much help it's already given to the I.C.W, Mione. We know that the Asian Ministries and the MACUSA aren't exactly on the best of terms with Europe."

He had a point. She had to admit that. "I know." She whispered. "We'll make the arraignments with their Taskforce." She wanted to bring Teddy on this trip. She was upset when they had to leave him home the last time, but she understood Harry's reasoning. The I.C.W were trying their hardest to become progressive, but there would always be a werewolf bias in Europe. Even if their son didn't inherit the disease from his birth father.

Harry smiled. "All three of us. It'll be our first family trip. We'll visit the touristy places with him." He promised her. "He'll travel as much as you did, Mione. I'm going to make sure of that. And I'm happy to travel with my family. Even if we end up with more kids than the Weasleys."

Hermione snorted. "You'd want more than one girlfriend then, Potter. I didn't have the honour of birthing him, but I don't expect childbirth to be too pleasant of an experience."

Harry kissed her cheek once they stopped at a red light. "Oh please, you'd relish the opportunity to be pregnant. I can just envision you now. Stroking your belly all lovingly. Getting Teddy ready for his sibling."

Hermione grinned to herself. That did sound like heaven. "Maybe in a couple of years." She whispered to him. "Let me finish college first. Establish myself. Then we'll have more kids."

Harry nodded, relaxing in the back with Teddy until they arrived at their destination. He carried the boy into the hospital. Perth had an amazing magical hospital and they were lucky enough to also have an expert on Metamorphmagi and their skills. He stopped outside the appropriate office, grinning once he saw their doctor. "Doctor Michaels, how are you?"

"I keep telling you to call me Alan." Alan replied, shaking his hand. "And how's my little buddy? He really seems cool today."

"We blasted the AC from the house to here. I didn't want him to be overheated when he got here. A grumpy Teddy-Bear is a bad thing." Hermione cooed at their son, smiling at the doctor. "We were sorry to hear about the baby who died."

"Little Alex…" Alan's smile faded. "Kid was sweet. Two years old and just, gone." He clicked his fingers with a blank expression on his face. "I know his parents. Nice people…"

Hermione felt her eyes water. "It's…terrible."

Alan shrugged, sitting the baby down on the small bed. "Now, let's check on our little Metamorph here." He pulled out the equipment needed. "How are the potions working for him?"

"It used to be weekly, but they're wearing off after about five, so we're kind of stuck on weekends." Harry admitted, smiling at the baby.

"Damn. Those are pretty powerful potions." Alan ran a quick scan with his wand, connecting the results to the computer near him. The Australians were the best in the world when it came to the use of technology and magical. Technomancy was really taking off in the magical government and hospitals of the country. "His core's expanded 15% since his last visit. It should only be around 8% bigger."

"I-Is that abnormal?" Hermione asked, biting her lip.

"Not abnormal." Alan started carefully. "But I've never seen a child of fifteen months with a core this big. Well, there's reports. Apparently, Harry Potter's core was 25% at this age." He gave a knowing glance to them. "You really should have changed your names." He chuckled. "Teddy's got a large core, it happens. We'll increase potions and look into the possibility of binding hair and eye colour for a year or two, just until he's old enough to start his training."

"Is there a risk to his core?" Harry asked politely.

"I don't know." Alan admitted. "It could drop a couple of percent, but I wouldn't really know what to do."

Harry frowned. "I think we'll stick to potions…" He glanced to Hermione.

"Yeah. Potions will do fine. Do we need anything to ensure that he doesn't become addicted?" Hermione asked, biting her lip worriedly.

"We'll have to add a flushing potion. He'll have to take it every Sunday, and it'll be messy." Alan warned them. "He'll have diarrhoea, vomiting, it won't be easy."

Harry bit the inside of his cheek. "Are there any other options?"

"One." Alan said softly. "We can use a specialised ring/bracelet combo. It'll basically transfer the control of his ability to one of you. It's exhausting on the parent, but the baby's completely fine."

"I'll do it." Harry immediately replied. "Hermione's in college, I'll do it."

Hermione smiled. "How much is the treatment?"

"It'll be a few grand for the ring and bracelet." Alan gave them a sympathetic look. Couples their age weren't usually covered well when it came to insurance.

"That'll be fine." Harry brought out their insurance card. "Don't be so surprised, Alan." He chuckled. "If you did your research on us, you'd know that we're going to be ok." He grinned.

Alan shook his head. "I really thought I was wrong." He smirked. "So, what's the world's most famous Dark Wizard fighter doing Down Under?"

"Living." Harry replied curtly. "And we're expecting to stay here anonymously."

"You'll hear nothing from me." Alan promised them. "But, I'd love to have a beer sometime and hear the story from the horse's mouth."

Harry chuckled. "Sure." He smiled at Teddy. "How long will it take?"

"Two weeks to get the stuff here. You'll need to see your own doctor for some pepper-up potions." Alan wrote them a prescription. "Bring this to the receptionist you saw earlier. He'll have it ordered by tonight."

Harry and Hermione thanked the doctor, leaving with Teddy. Thankfully their car ride home had been easier than the ride up. Harry sat Teddy down in his highchair, kissing Hermione's cheek as he began on the dinner. A quick glance out the window at the sunny weather had him smiling. He truly had found his home.


	2. Revelations

**A/N: I didn't expect the response I got from this fic, but I am a man of the people, so I'm going to try and make it into a short story, rather than a one-shot. Updates will not be regular. If anyone has read Redemption, then you'll understand the large gaps in updates. I'm going to use this as my writer's block breaker.**

Harry didn't know what the hell to do in this situation. The pain he was suffering wasn't exactly bad, it was more of a nuisance than anything. The problem was his ever-changing hair colour. Alan could have warned him that he'd have residual Metamorphic abilities for the next couple of weeks. Thankfully it had been just colour changing hair, so he was able to hide it by wearing a hat. Unfortunately, it was currently 37oC and it was expected to get higher during the week. He had the air conditioning in the house on full blast, whistling along to the radio as he cooked lunch for himself and Teddy. A nice salad with grilled chicken for himself, and blended chicken and veggies for his son.

He had his top removed, which most people in the area knew to expect. When it came to the subject of the litany of scars that lined his chest, back and of course, the famous scar on his forehead, the explanation was given that Harry liked to brawl when he was child and that he had been jumped one night by a gang of hoodlums. Hermione had given the neighbours stories of times Harry had been forced to fight an older kid to stop them from bullying the other children in the area. He didn't care if the neighbours stared at him whenever he did some work topless. He had lived through hell. Being self-conscious wasn't something he bothered with anymore.

He had the radio tuned to a magical show that he had been taught by Alan, so he was able to keep up with the magical side of things. He chopped some greens for himself, smiling over at Teddy, who was clapping his hands on the table happily as he watched Harry work. He placed the last of the salad items in the colander, cleaning them off before chopping the onions and tomatoes.

" _We've breaking news coming in from the I.C.W, stay tuned for the official statement."_ The radio broke his concentration. What the hell was the I.C.W announcing? He raised the volume, frowning to himself.

" _Ladies and Gentlemen of the world. Thanks to correspondence we've received from a Dark Wizard Hunter who is currently living in an unknown location, we have been able to stop insurrections in France, Germany and Poland this month."_ The voice of Nicolas Solaris, the head of the I.C.W called out through the radio. _"As such, we've decided to ban the use of soul magic within the Magical Union of Europe. All literature regarding the subject have been confiscated from the Great Libraries and searches will be taking place over the next year. Any country within the I.C.W not to comply will be subject to sanctions and possible embargos."_

Harry smiled to himself as he heard that. It was nice to see that they took his warnings seriously. He plated up his salad, putting Teddy's food in his favourite bowl. He sat down, feeding Teddy as he took small bites from his own plate. It was times like this when he truly felt at peace with the world and everything that had happened in the last year.

" _We would also like to extend our thanks to the Hunter who provided us with our information. If you're listening, know that we have deposited a fair sum into your account for your services, and we would like you to return to us whenever you get further information on such vile magic."_

Harry nearly chocked on his salad. They had paid him? He finished his food as fast as he could, taking some time to feed Teddy in a careful manner. He didn't want to rush the boy's food, but he had to check his account. He placed a top on, frowning as he noticed his hair cycling through several colours. "Bollocks…" He whispered to himself, forcing his hair to stay black. "Come on mate, we've got to get to the bank."

 **0o0o0**

The trip wasn't too bad. Before they knew it, Harry and Teddy were in the main hall of the Australian Bank of Magical Humans and Beings. Unlike England, where the Goblins ruled all currency. Most of the workers in ABMHB were a mix of Gnomes and regular magicals. He made his way over to one of the tellers, smiling. "Hi, I need to check the status of my account please."

"Name?" The woman asked politely.

"Potter. Harry James." Harry provided his signature, bank card and wand, which he had quickly become accustomed to.

"Ok, one moment." She checked the account. "Here we are. What can I help you with, Mr. Potter?"

"What's the current balance in the account?" Harry asked politely. The last time he had checked there was just over fifty thousand galleons. Way more than enough for them to live off of twice over.

"Current balance for the Potter Account is seventy thousand galleons, four thousand sickles and ninety knuts." The woman replied with a kind smile.

Harry gulped. They had paid him that much just for giving them information that should have been made available centuries ago to the proper law enforcement. He nodded his head with a smile of his own. "Thank you." He took his wand and card, walking out with Teddy in the pram. He licked his lips. "Time to surprise Mama I think."

Teddy clapped his hands at the mention of his mother. It really made Harry's heart soar whenever that happened. He knew one day that Teddy who have to learn about Remus and Dora, but he wasn't worried about that day. He'd know what to say to the boy when the time came. He'd tell him the same thing that Sirius had once told him. Family is those who you love, not whose blood runs through your veins.

He stopped outside one of the shops, glancing in at some of the different books that were on display. He licked his lips again, glancing down at Teddy. "I'd love to buy her an entire library, but if I do, you'll be a big brother before you know it." He chuckled to himself. Hermione's love of books really amazed him, as did her unique way of rewarding him for picking out books she loved. He walked in, picking a couple of the new bestsellers that had come out that week. He paid for them with his card, heading towards one of the game shops for himself. He and Wendell had been flying through some of the new games that had come out. He knew that the PlayStation 2 was apparently coming out near the end of the following year, but he still enjoyed his PlayStation, so he was in no rush to upgrade.

He picked up a couple of fighting games and one of the new platformer games that Hermione liked to claim she didn't enjoy. A quick trip to the shop for some baby friendly juice so Teddy would stay hydrated and they were heading towards the local farmer's market. He loved it when the fresher produce came into season. It let him experiment more with cooking than he was used to.

He picked up some seasonal vegetables and some beautiful free-range steaks for the dinner. He sniffed some of the fresh flowers, picking up some roses for Hermione. It wasn't often that he really got a chance to spoil her outright, so he was going to take any opportunity he got. He packed everything into the car, making his way home with Teddy.

"I think someone needs a nap." He noticed that the toddler was starting to droop in his seat. He carried him to his cot, bringing the food and other things in when he had the boy down for his nap. He would usually take a nap himself when Teddy went down, but he really wanted to get started on the dinner. He knew that Hermione's folks where picky when it came to the wellness of their steaks. Monica loved hers cooked all the way through, while Wendell's could be revived with a good shock it was that rare.

He grabbed some garlic and oil, marinating the steaks in the fridge as he took out some of the items he'd need for the sides. Mashed potatoes would go nice with the steak, maybe some pepper sauce or a nice red wine reduction. He checked his watch, taking the steaks out of the fridge. He heard the first of the usual two expected Disapparation pops as Andromeda got in from her bridge club.

"Something smells divine." She commented, walking into the kitchen. "How was your day?"

"Good." Harry kissed her cheek. He really loved having Andromeda around. While he loved Mrs. Weasley with every fibre of his being, she was too overbearing to be a proper maternal figure for him. Andromeda listened to him without trying to force an issue. "And dinner should be ready in about twenty minutes. Medium well on the steak?"

"Good boy." Andromeda chuckled, shaking her head as she sat down and watched him work. Sirius would be proud of the man he had become. He was truly everything her cousin missed out on being. She knew she really should be looking for her own place, but the Wilkins liked her around and she couldn't bring herself to part with them yet. Besides, it allowed her to be a mother again in a sense. Without Dora to guide, life was hard. Harry was a lot like her in that sense. Both of them were happy-go-lucky when they were truly trying to hide emotions.

Hermione arrived moments later, kissing his cheek as she smelt the garlic and herb marinade. "Steak?" She grinned.

Harry nodded, searing the steak on one side. "And I think Teddy has a present for you upstairs." He winked, kissing her softly.

Hermione made her way upstairs to check on their son, being careful not to wake him. She smiled to herself as she noticed the flowers in a vase, as well as the new books that entered the bestseller list and what looked like a PlayStation game. She opened one of the books, taking a small smell of the new paper. She kissed Teddy's forehead, making her way downstairs again. "He sure likes to buy his Mummy books, doesn't he?"

Harry chuckled, capturing her lips in a kiss. "What can I say? Our boy's a smart lad." He grinned, placing the last of the steaks in the pan. He heard Monica and Wendell's car pulling up in the driveway. "I got paid by the I.C.W for the Horcrux information."

"What?" Hermione grinned. "They actually paid you?!" She hugged him tightly. "How much?"

"Nearly half of my old account." Harry answered softly.

Hermione found her legs giving out underneath her. She had peeked into the accounts once or twice when she had to. She didn't like using his money. They weren't really married after all. While she loved Harry with all her heart, and she _was_ using the Potter surname, but it her mind it wasn't official. "H-How much exactly?"

"Twenty thousand galleons, two thousand sickles and fifty knuts." Harry poured her a glass of water, placing her on one of the chairs.

"T-That's enough money to fund Teddy's education and any other children we'd end up having!" Hermione found herself hyperventilating at the amount of money paid to her love.

Harry rubbed her back softly, looking to Andromeda for help. "Love, you and I went through hell. We deserve any amount of money we get from these people. We're doing a service to the world."

Hermione drank the water slowly, nodding her head as her parents walked in the door. "Harry, we should get to Japan as soon as possible. We'll leave the Australian and New Zealand Ministries until last. They've the lowest crime rates in the wizarding world." She ran a hand through her hair. It was a habit she picked up from Harry. "I finish for the summer next week. We'll leave the week after that."

Harry nodded, kissing her forehead. "Of course, love." He placed the steaks on a plate to rest, finishing the vegetables and peppercorn sauce. He plated up dinner for everyone, explaining the day's events to them. Teddy woke up midway through dinner, so Harry carefully fed him small bits of veg and a little sauce. He would do the baby's dinner next, so he was in no rush.

Monica smiled at her grandson. "You two need us to babysit again?"

"No." Hermione shook her head. "This time it's going to be a family holiday."

Harry smiled, kissing the boy's forehead as he finished his dinner. "Now, why don't you get cuddled to death while I make you a proper dinner." He passed the boy to his mother, grabbing some of the same ingredients. Teddy wasn't the biggest fan of beef. They tried it a couple of times with him, but the boy absolutely loved chicken and pork.

Hermione held the baby close to her, kissing his forehead as she opened the first of the books. It was a murder mystery book according to the cover and she'd heard one of the students praising the author for an amazing book. She kept her free arm carefully around Teddy, watching as he held onto the table, babbling his nonsense words to his grandparents. While he hadn't said a word yet, he was getting closer every day.

Harry finished cooking, mashing it all into a baby like pate for the boy to eat. He placed him into the highchair, watching Hermione as her eyes moved through every line of the pages she read, her lips silently forming the words she read. He smiled to himself as he finished feeding Teddy the meal, kissing the boy's forehead. He cleaned the plate and pot, watching out the window. "Hermione, take Teddy upstairs." He spoke calmly, though there was a hollowness to his voice.

"What's wrong?" Hermione grabbed the baby.

"They found us." Harry summoned his wand, heading to the front door. This was a muggle neighbourhood, but he had the place under specialised wards so any magic wouldn't be seen. It was the only way they could live in such a muggle area. He stepped outside, brandishing his wand at the visage of three people. "I'd drop your wands, unless you want to be picked up in bits!"

A chuckle broke through the tension. "Harry, we're here for your help." The voice of Kingsley Shacklebolt was just to memorable for them to forget.

Harry frowned as he took a look at the others. McGonagall was on one side of him, while Ron was on their other side. "I left for a reason, Minister. Oh, I'm sorry…ex-Minister."

Kingsley shook his head at the man. "That doesn't matter, Harry. We have to stop the Death Eaters. They're gaining more power every day."

"And whose fault is that?!" Hermione snapped out. "You and the Ministry let them scream Imperious again!" She kept Teddy in her arms, frowning as she noticed Ron. "Ronald…"

Ron stood forward, grinning at her. "There's my girl." He paused as she took a step back. "Mione, what are you doing?"

Harry kept his wand aimed at them. "Leave my wife and son alone." He warned them.

Kingsley chuckled. "Harry, it's time to stop playing house and do your duty." He knew he was risking things, but Albus had entrusted him with the information on how to keep Harry on their side. In times like this, it had to be done. "It's for the Greater Good!"

Harry's eyes glazed over for a second. "Hermione, I have to go with them…" He said softly, moving beside Kingsley. He ignored the grin on Kingsley's face, thinking on his feet. He grabbed Kingsley's arm, twisting it behind the man's back. "You fucking bastard!"

McGonagall frowned. "Harry!"

Harry pointed his wand at Kingsley's head. "You think that still works on me?" He whispered, digging the wand into the man's temple. "Albus's little secret no longer works. But I'm glad I know who else knew about it." He took a sick kind of pleasure at the sound of the man's arm breaking. "Now leave, before I have to ruin my back garden for a couple of graves."

Kingsley frowned. "I can't leave until you agree to come back." He snapped out. "We need your help. It's your—"

"Don't say it's my duty. I gave everything to England and it was all spat back in my face! Twice!" Harry warned him, twisting the already broken arm to stress his point. "I refuse you to help you a third time." He kicked the man to the ground. He turned his wand to McGonagall, stunning her quickly. "Your choice, Ron. You can either leave, or be sent back in a box. Don't you think your Mum has lost enough sons?!"

Ron held up his arms. "I only came to see my best friend and my girlfriend!"

Hermione sighed, holding a now crying Teddy closer to her chest. "Ron…I'm with Harry." She said softly, moving closer to him. "We're happy. We're raising Teddy as our son and we've loads of freedom here."

Ron closed his eyes. "I suppose I should have expected that…" He chuckled weakly. "You're happy…?"

Hermione nodded, kissing his cheek. "I am. Harry and I finally admitted to ourselves that we weren't really in love with our respective redheads. It's not fair on you or Ginny to be stuck with people who don't feel like that towards you." She felt tears coming to her eyes. "England's not our problem anymore. I was branded a mudblood and Harry literally walked to his death for us."

Ron hugged her. "I understand." He whispered, turning to Harry. "You better treat her like the queen she is."

"You bet your ass I will." Harry hugged his friend. "Look, if it gets really bad in England. Get your family over here. We'll help you set up a life here. You don't have to suffer those bigots, mate."

Ron nodded, turning to Kingsley. "What did he say that pissed you off so much?"

Harry chuckled. "It doesn't matter, mate." He kicked the man in the stomach for good measure. "Take him back to England." He sighed. "We'll probably have to fucking move. And I just got used to the area…"

Ron shook his head. "I'll remove their memories. They came to me for information, and Mum just happened to mention Australia."

Hermione passed Teddy to Harry, pointing her wand at the two people. "I'll do it. I'm better with mind magic than either of you." She spoke softly, using the same spells she used on her parents nearly two years ago. "They'll think they were ambushed in Perth. They'll also think they found nothing here and deduced that we moved somewhere else." She looked at Ron. "The offer he gave you stands though. When you finally reach your limit, we'll be here…"

Ron nodded, hugging them once more. "Thanks." He smiled at the baby, who was babbling happily in Harry's arms. "You deserve all the happiness in the world, mate. You both do." He chuckled weakly. "And I wish you both the best. I hope I never have to take your offer, but if I do, then I'll see you then." He grinned to them, grabbing the other two. He placed their hands on the portkey they created, whisking away.

 **0o0o0**

Hermione was glad when her parents decided to take Teddy to their room for the night. She was currently rubbing Harry's shoulders, trying to get him to open up about the encounter. She'd never seen him so violent with someone who had been considered an ally. Harry and Kingsley had always gotten along from what she remembered. The sigh he let out let her knew that he was close to opening up. "What was that…?"

Harry kept his eyes closed, focusing on the relaxation on his muscles. "When I stopped Voldemort in first year…Dumbledore had a command implanted into my psyche through his use of Legilimens." He let out the breath he'd been holding. "Whenever I heard the phrase 'Greater Good', I'd become a zombie that would obey any order. Snape knew it as well." He chuckled weakly. "Mione, I've done so many things against my own will…things I've never told you…"

"Harry, it wasn't you." Hermione whispered, wrapping her arms around him. "It wasn't you…"

Harry let the tears fall. "It felt like me." He whispered. "When we were in Switzerland, I had a mind healer look me over for any residual damage from the Horcrux. He found the command implanted within me. Turns out, Snape's lessons in fifth year were just to reinforce the command." He chuckled hollowly. "I…I've done things, Mione. I…" He gulped. "I…" He couldn't say it.

A knock on the door interrupted them. "I know why you're upset." Andromeda said softly. "Dora confided in me before she died…" She sat on the bed, engulfing him in a hug. The boy looked so distraught as he sobbed into her blouse. She gave Hermione a reassuring look. "I just didn't understand the full story…until now."

Harry wiped his eyes, walking into the Wilkin's room. He picked up Teddy, sniffling as he held the boy close to him. "I'm Teddy's biological father…"

Hermione frowned. "What?"

"Hermione, think about his birth month. He was born in April. Go back nine to ten months." Harry whispered.

Hermione counted back in her head. "May, June at the latest." She said softly.

"Dumbledore called me to his office to talk about 'the mission'. Tonks was there too." Harry sniffled, holding Teddy close to him. "Dumbledore told me that I had to do something for the Greater Good. I didn't know until afterwards that…"

"Dora had been placed under the Imperius…" Andromeda finished for him, rubbing his arm gently. She smiled sadly. "She told me in confidence that Remus had nothing to do with it. It was Albus, trying to cement Remus's undying loyalty for him." She sniffled, wiping her eyes. "The poor man had no idea that he was raising another man's son."

Harry chuckled bitterly. "That's why I punched him in Grimmauld, Mione. Not out of some crap about his disease…because I hated myself for what I had done and I thought he knew the truth…"

Hermione wrapped her arms around him again, frowning. "Harry, I want you to look at me, right now." Harry tried to avoid her eyes, but her tone made him look into those chocolate eyes he loved so much. "You did not take advantage of Tonks. Dumbledore forced two people under mind control to have sex. You're not some sexual predator."

Harry whimpered, holding onto her. "I…I'm sorry I didn't tell you…"

Hermione kissed his forehead. "Harry, you've been carrying that guilt for so long, you don't have to apologise to me." She kissed him gently, wiping the tears from his eyes. "Your son loves you. _I_ love you." She smiled. "Your mother and father in-law love you. And your adopted mother loves you." She ran her thumb over the last tear. "You are your own man now, and none of us blame you for what happened.

Monica and Wendell nodded at their daughter's words. "She's right, Harry." Wendell sighed. "Do you want to move though, just to be safe?"

Harry wiped his own eyes, sniffling. "Hermione's mind work is amazing, but they could break through that." He sighed sadly. "I'm sorry…all of this is because of me and my past."

Hermione kissed his forehead once again. "It doesn't matter." She bit her lip. "What if we just move to another part of Australia? We could you know, emigrate properly." She glanced at her parents. "You could be Dan and Emma again."

"That'd be nice. I know you hate your name, love, but you could have picked something better than bloody Wendell." Her father grinned.

Harry let out a small laugh. "I love you guys." He whispered softly.

Teddy babbled in his arms, placing his arms around his neck.


End file.
